New Delhi: Influencer Payal Gaming not in viral video, Maharashtra Police launch probe
Maharashtra Cyber Police have said that the viral video circulating online with claims linking it to YouTuber Payal Dhare, popularly known as Payal Gaming, is a deepfake.
According to an official certificate issued by the Office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra State Cyber Department, the video was analysed using advanced technological tools and was found to have been “tampered with and modified”. The analysis, dated December 19, 2025, confirms that the clip is an AI-generated deepfake, police said.
Based on a complaint submitted by Payal Dhare, Maharashtra Cyber Police registered a criminal case.
“The video was analysed using the technology available with the Maharashtra State Cyber Department. It is hereby certified that the aforesaid video has been tampered with and modified. The analysis confirms that the video is a deepfake created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology,” the certificate said.
In an Instagram post, Payal thanked police officials for their response. She urged the public and media to refrain from sharing or speculating about the video and said legal action was being pursued against those responsible.
Under Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, sharing obscene or objectionable content online is a punishable offence, carrying imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh for a first conviction, with stricter penalties for repeat offences.
The controversy began last week after an intimate video started circulating widely across social media platforms. Several users made unverified claims linking the woman seen in the clip to Payal Gaming, triggering widespread speculation online.
Soon after the video surfaced, many of Payal’s followers questioned its authenticity and alleged that the footage appeared to be AI-generated or morphed.
The video continued to circulate despite calls from fans to refrain from sharing the content. Police have warned that further circulation of the video or false attribution may attract legal action under existing cyber and obscenity laws.
The influencer broke her silence on the controversy earlier this week through a detailed public statement, saying the video being circulated online had no connection to her life, identity or personal choices. Describing the past few days as distressing, the influencer said her name and image were being falsely associated with content shared on digital platforms and stressed that the individual seen in the clip was not her.
Payal Dhare is a well-known Indian gaming content creator and social media influencer, popularly recognised by her online alias Payal Gaming.
She began streaming video games in 2019 and rose to prominence after joining S8UL Esports, gaining a significant following in India and abroad.
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